Vehicles, such as automobiles, are assembled by aligning and fastening numerous components and sub-assemblies to one another. One region of the automobile requiring assembly of such components and sub-assemblies is a front end region, sometimes referred to as a “front clip.” The front clip is commonly defined as the region of the vehicle extending from the A-pillar to the most forwardly disposed component, typically a front bumper. The front clip includes a structural frame, as well as a variety of components that collectively form a body.
A sub-assembly of the front end region includes a headlamp assembly that provides a structure for housing illuminating components, as well as electrical connections therein. Several efforts to directly or indirectly mount and/or fix the headlamp assembly to the front end region have included several approaches which rely on machined body mounting locations for the body components. Approaches relying on such body mounting locations have undesirably led to large variations in alignment and fastening of components to each other. Numerous issues related to large variations may influence the aesthetic appearance of the automobile and may result in complicated procedures for an installation operator responsible for aligning and mounting the headlamp assembly. The complicated procedures lead to inefficiency, human error and assembly plant damage due to unintentional and undesirable contact of the headlamp assembly with surrounding front end components.